Ladies, there’s another part of your body you should be grooming other than just the hair on your head. No, I don’t mean the hair on your legs; I’m talking about the hair down there.

Before you start the grooming process, you might want toget to know yourself better in that area. Use a hand mirror if needed, so that you’re familiar with it and aware if something seems unnaturalto you.

The vagina cleans itself naturally. Other than some mild soap and water, not much else is needed to keep it clean. Grooming it, on the other hand, takes a little more work. Do some prepping before hair removal. One popular method isexfoliating. Try using a body wash with exfoliating beads in the shower like Burt’s Bees Radiance Exfoliating Body Wash. Removing the dead skin around that area will prevent ingrown hairs from getting trapped.

To wax or not to wax? That’s alwaysthe painful question you have to ask yourself. If you decide on waxing, choose a clean and reputable salon/spa. You’re exposing yourself to unknown bacteria and there’s another person getting just as up close and personal as your gynecologist. There are many pros to waxing such as asmooth area for weeks at a time and the hair growing back thinner and softer. When you choose to go with a wax, you are now left with two personal styles:the partial Brazilian wax and the full Brazilian. With a partial Brazilian, you’ll be left with what’s called a landing strip, or a vertical line of hair running down the middle. A full Brazilian gets rid of ALL hair including any on your buttocks.

However, waxing might be a little too much to handle for some, and shaving will do just fine. It’s a less painful option, but caution should be taken as well. Always use a disposable razor to help avoid irritation and bacteria from building. Shave in the direction your hair grows, otherwise you’ll end up with ingrown hair and razor bumps. In just one or two days be prepared to see the hair growing back. The quick hair growth is a pain, but it’s a much tolerable one compared to that of waxing.

Some women choose not to remove all of their hair from down there and that’s perfectly fine and safe too. Nair’s bikini cream can be used to remove the hair from your bikini area only. Apply the creamonto the area that you would like to removefor about three minutes then rinseoff. This option will leave you smooth for about four to seven days.

Which ever method you decide will work best for you; make sure to apply a cream or ointment for ingrown hair and razor bump prevention. Try a product like Tend Skin. It’s a liquid solution that’s recommended to be applied before and after the hair removal process. It helps heal the skin.

There’s nothing wrong with a little experimenting. Try more than one method to decide which works best for your lifestyle.

Have you ever gotten your paycheck and had to go out and restock your makeup bag? When you are finished, are you shocked to realize that you have almost nothing left until next paycheck? There are so many great products out and they don’t always have to cost you your entire paycheck and then some. Sometimes you can find the perfect lip-gloss for just a dollar. That being said; there are some products that are worth the splurge. Here are the products, treatments, and makeup that are worth a little more and go a long way:

Save your skin the trouble and don’t lay out too much in the sun. Bare Minerals, Warmth ($24), is the perfect bronzer to help you achieve a glowy complexion. Add as little or as much color as you want to appear to have that perfect tan.

If you’re more of a blush girl then you’ll love Nars, Desire ($26). It’s the perfect shade of pink and the color lasts all day. The best part is that you don’t have to constantly re-apply. A little goes a long way with this blush.

For quick drying, vibrant nail polish any from the Essie collection will work. With the single smooth coat that just glides on your nail, it won’t irritate you too much having to spend $8 a bottle.

Lip-gloss is fun and adds personality to your outfit. Bare Escentuals collection of Buxom ($18), glosses are to die for. It feels refreshing on your lips and the color lasts hours without the really sticky formula. Try Kananifor a girly summer look or Dolly on a sexy date.

The skin needs to be exfoliated weekly in order help remove the dead skin. Although the skin naturally sheds itself, sometimes it gets stuck clogging our pores. This leads to break outs in the skin. Sabon’s Body Scrub not only smells delicious but works wonders. You’ve never felt your skin as soft as this scrub leaves it. This is one scenario where the old saying “as smooth as a baby’s bottom“ falls true. It‘s perfect in Tropic($30), for these hot summer days.

Origins, Clear Improvement Mask ($21) is a must have if you suffer from breakouts or oily skin. The mask has activated charcoal that works as a magnet. It gets rid of all dirt, clogged pores and other toxins.

Spending a little extra on these products are worth it in the long run.

We’ve all done it. You take an innocent trip to Sephora or a walk down the Urban Decay aisle, and there it is: the bright blue eye shadow of your dreams— except you’d never have the confidence to wear it. With the following tips, you can easily leave those days behind.

Dark smokey eyes are a classic, but nothing says summer like a vibrant color. Choose a variety of palettes in the same family, for example ones that containing a few shades of blue or pink, then follow the steps below:

Step 1: Apply an eyelid primer. This helps prevent the eye shadow from smudging and keeps it in place all day.

You might not be able to get rid of sun damage completely, but there are definitely things you can start doing today to get better skin. The UVA and UVB rays from the sun damage your skin in many ways. Constant overexposure to the sun leads to leathery skin now and wrinkles in the future. Even worse, you are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer.

The damaging rays affect your skin by harming it in a way that affects you long term. UVA is the ray you notice when you lay out tanning. You might think that dark glow you got looks gorgeous, but getting a tan means harm has been done to your skin. The UVB is what causes reddening and is the biggest cause of skin cancer. There are times where we just can’t avoid being over exposed to both types of rays. That’s when sunscreen becomes your best friend. Picking the proper sunscreen goes a long way. Start by choosing the right SPF for you. The minimum you should be using is SPF 30. Something higher is reccomended by doctors, especially if you burn easily.

Also, wearing a daily moisturizer with SPF is necessary even if you aren’t planning on being in the sun long. Aveeno has an SPF 30 daily moisturizer foronly $15. Sunscreens have come a long way. There are all kinds and even ones made specifically for different skin types. Also keep in mind what you’ll be doing throughout the day and make it a fun task choosing the right one. If you’re planning a trip to the beach, waterproof sun screen will work to your advantage. A great one to try for daily use is a spray on sunscreen. It’s a light airy protection and keeps you from getting your hands dirty. Just because you’ve applied sun screen doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Re-applying every other hour is just as important, even if it’s water proof.

Now, say you’ve applied protection and somehow couldn’t avoid the sun and ended up with a sun burn. Some people believe that a sun burn will eventually blend into a nice tan, but the opposite actually happens. Being burned damages the skin and increases your chances of it happening again. If this happens to you, don’t freak out. Soothe your skin immediately by applying aloe to the skin. It cools the skin down and heals it. There are lotions that include aloe in their formula like Keri Basic Essentials ($7.00). Not only does it contain Aloe, but it is also hypoallergenic and fragrance free.

The sun unfortunately leads to uneven skin tone and dark spots. Our skin produces melanin pigment, but constant exposure to the sun make the melanin produce abnormally. The abnormal production of this pigment is what leads to freckles and dark spots. There are so many easy to use bronzers to help with tan lines and uneven skin tone. Jergens has different types to choose from. You can use their daily bronzing lotion or mouse for gradual color (8.49). Or if you’re looking for speedier results, try their three day bronzer Jergens Express Glow($8.49). By the second day your skin will be glowing. For the face, applying a tinted moisturizer will not only give you a bronzed complexion but will also blend the uneven skin. Try Clinique’s Moisture Sheer Tint ($27). Exposing your face to the sun can create dark spots. Try limiting and really protecting the spots from getting sun because it will only make them bigger. Running a little low on cash? Before buying a product, try an at-home-remedy. Lemon juice has the power of bleaching out dark spots. Apply it twice a day and you’ll start to notice your spots getting lighter. For quicker results, try a lightening gel or lotion. Murad’s Age Spot and Pigmentation Lightening Gel works wonders ($60).

The sun’s rays have the power of harming not only your skin, but also your hair. It dries it out and quickly fades any color you may have added to it. Throughout the sunny season, trade in your regular shampoo for one that offers protection from the sun like Aveda’s Sun Care Hair and Body Cleanser ($20). Protecting yourself today will keep you healthy tomorrow and reverse the current damages from the sun.

Hyperhidrosis is a condition targeting three percent of the population experiencing excessive sweating. It’s an embarrassing and annoying condition. Even in the winter. Botox injections is one option for stopping the sweating. It’s a costly procedure and isn’t permanent. Shots can cost as much as $1500 a session. There’s a another option in the form of wipes called, Hyperhidrosis Control Wipes. A more permanent procedure has been discovered. New York Housewife Ramona Singer has gotten it done and swears it works. She said,

“It’s so embarrassing, but I used to literally drip with sweat,” Singer tells StyleList. “But since I got the treatment, I don’t even have to wear deodorant anymore! I’ll still sweat a bit if it’s super, super hot and I’m out, but it’s nothing.”

The procedure is done using the Lysonix 3000 ultrasound liposuction instrument by removing the cells in your under arm that cause sweating and odor. Ramona’s doctor, Dr. Sharon Giese said the results are permanent and work for practically anyone. She says,

“You’ll see anywhere from a 65% to 90% reduction in sweat, with most people getting closer to the 90%. There is a very small percentage of the population who is unresponsive to the treatment, who most likely have a strong hereditary gene for excessive sweating,” Dr. Giese tells StyleList.”

Dr. Giese charges $4500 for the whole procedure, but if Hyperhidrosis is a major problem in your life, it could be worth it. Like any major purchases do your research and shop around.

Is there a fragrance bug going around? Nine West, the shoe retailer, has signed a deal with Jones Apparel Group to release a line of fragrances. Sounds a little out-of-place for the company. There’s no exact date or scent set in stone yet, but it’ll be something to look out for fall of 2011. The following statement was released:

“Like the perfect pair of shoes, a woman’s fragrance is the sensual completion to her look by providing an inviting and intimate expression of her directly,” says Richard Dickson, CEO of branded businesses at Jones Apparel Group”

You might remember Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty that launched in 2004. The campaign consisted of real women no models, of all ages, shapes, and sizes posing in their underwear. Dove’s motive was to show women and people everywhere what “real” women looked like and to show that the models seen on TV and ads were mostly photo-shopped.

Recently an ad was posted on Craigslist looking for women to once again pose for Dove’s “Real Women” campaign. The ad looked like this:

DOVE “REAL WOMEN” PRINT CASTING JUNE 28-30, 2010 in NYC
ABSOLUTELY NO ACTRESSES / MODELS OR REALITY SHOW PARTICIPANTS or ANY ONE CARRYING A HEADSHOT!!!!
REAL WOMEN ONLY!
LOOKING FOR 3-4 REAL WOMEN for a DOVE PRINT CAMPAIGN!

AGES 35-45, CAUCASIAN, HISPANIC, AFRICAN AMERICAN, & ASIAN!

SHOOT: SUNDAY, JULY 18 in NYC! MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR THE SHOOT!
RATE: $500 for Shoot date & if selected for Ad Campaign (running 2011) you will be paid $4000!
USAGE: 3 years unlimited print & web usage in N. America Only

YOU WILL BE PHOTOGRAPHED FOR THE CAMPAIGN IN A TOWEL!
BEAUTIFUL ARMS AND LEGS AND FACE WILL BE SHOWN!
MUST HAVE FLAWLESS SKIN, NO TATTOOS OR SCARS!
Well groomed and clean…Nice Bodies..NATURALLY, FIT Not too Curvy Not too Athletic.

PLEASE SUBMIT SNAPSHOTS of FACE & BODY ASAP & WE WILL CALL YOU IN FOR A CASTING NEXT WEEK 6/28-6/30 in NYC!

Dove denied having posted the ad and said the casting notice was not approved their brand. They released a quote saying,

“Dove is committed to representing beauty of all ages, ethnicities, shapes and sizes, and actively works toward raising self-esteem in women and young girls globally. We have used a variety of women in our images. We have shown women as young as 20 and as old as 95, women with blond hair, red hair, short hair, long hair and no hair; with freckles, without freckles; with wrinkles, with tattoos and real curves.”

The Craigslist ad has since been removed. It goes against everything Dove supposedly stands for and promotes, so hopefully they are telling the truth.

What was once the rich and famous best kept secret weapon is now an everyday acceptance. Botox has come a long way and is now used as a solution for many cosmetic problems. One of the most common uses of Botox is for the wrinkles and lines that appear with age. Although wrinkles isn’t something the typical 18 to 20 something year old worries about, younger women and even teens are opting for a dose or two of the injection.

Filipino singer, Charice Pempengco’s career has skyrocketed after making appearances on Ellen DeGeneres’ and Oprah Winfrey’s talk shows. Now she’s preparing to make her debut on the hit show Glee by getting Botox injections and having an anti-aging procedure done. Charice said she wanted, “to look fresh on camera”. The baby-faced singer is 18, yet she looks about 13. How much more fresh and young-looking can you get at that age?

Charice looks as if she’s far from needing any Botox but her publicist, Liz Rosenberg, argued that is wasn’t for cosmetic reasons. Rosenberg said it was done for the muscle pain the singer was having. The procedure was even captured on cameras.

With all the outrages products out there, I rarely get surprised with what will come out next. I came across an ad for a product called Kush. It’s sort of like a boob pillow/supporter. Instead of wearing a bra while you sleep, you place Kush in between your breasts. Kush is supposed to separate your breasts and give support. The creator and designer behind the product, Cathinka Chandler said she developed the product after noticing wrinkles on her breasts.

Primer can help your makeup come a long way, especially on these hot summer days. Lately the weather has been reaching such high temperatures, that makeup feels as if it’s about to melt right off. In times like these primer makes a difference. It works by creating a base for your makeup; filling in fine line and wrinkles. By applying some underneath your makeup, it will help makeup go on smoother and stay on longer.

Victoria’s Secret Pro Airbrush FX Face Primer ($14) is actually a steal when compared to other top primers like MAC ($25) and Smashbox ($36). The formula is silky smooth, almost like petroleum jelly but not as thick. One pump (dime size or less) is good for the entire face, and makeup really does last longer on your skin. All that and it has an SPF 20, major plus.

Tip* Apply an astringent like Biore’s Triple Action Astringent (before primer) for super smooth, clean skin. After applying primer, let it sit on your skin for a minute or two and then continue with makeup application.